|
Key Facts |
Bridge Name | Type | Road | Location | City | Crossing |
|
Lake Street Bridge |
Bascule (Truss) |
Lake Street and Chicago El |
Cook County, IL |
Chicago |
Chicago River South Branch |
|
Technical Facts |
|
Construction Date |
Structure Length | Roadway Width | Approach Spans | Navigational Vertical Clearance |
| 1916 | 333 Feet | 38 Feet | 4 Steel Stringers | 15.74 Feet |
The Lake Street Bridge, is the only other bridge in Chicago that looks like the Wells Street Bridge. This bridge, like Wells Street, is a two level bridge, that carries the Chicago El on its top level. These are the only river bridges that carry the Chicago El. The Lake Street Bridge's sidewalk was being redone when I was here in August of 2005. Perhaps because it was being redone, or maybe it is always like this, but Lake Street bridge does not have any railings on the truss lines separating traffic from pedestrians. This is unlike the Wells Street Bridge. I suspect that guardrails were added to the truss lines on Wells Street, so one might argue that Lake Street has more historic integrity. Because of their massive members, and through truss design, I personally feel that this bridge is along with Wells Street one of Chicago's finest bridges.
